Method of building construction

ABSTRACT

A WALL-CARRYING BASE PLATE IS MOUNTED ON A POURED, STILL PLASTIC CEMENTITIOUS FOUNDATION BY RESTING GAUGING MEANS INTEGRAL WITH ONE EDGE OF THE BASE PLATE ON A FORM MEMBER TO DETERMINE THE ELEVATION OF THE BASE PLATE. A DEPENDING FLANGE ON THE BASE PLATE IS ENGAGED AGAINST AN INNER SIDE OF THE FORM TO DETERMINE THE LONGITUDINAL PLACEMENT OF THE BASE PLATE. THE BASE PLATE IS THEN SUPPORTED BY THE FORM UNTIL THE FOUNDATION MATERIAL HAS SET. FLANGE MEANS ON THE BASE PLATE ARE EMBEDDED IN THE FOUNDATION MATERIAL WHILE STILL PLASTIC TO ANCHOR THE PLATE TO THE FOUNDATION. AFTER THE FOUNDATION MATERIAL HAS SET STUDS MAY ANCHORED ON THE BASE PLATE AND SIDING CONNECTED TO THE GAUGING MEANS AS A STARTER AND SECURED TO THE STUDS. DOOR FARMING IS ADAPTED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BASE PLATE, AS WELL AS THRESHOLD STRUCTURE.

Feb. 13, 1973 D. G. MONROE 3,715,836

METHOD OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Jan. 9. 1970 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. ,1973 D. G. MONROE METHOD OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 3Sheets-Sneet 2 Original Filed Jan. 9. 1970 Feb. 13, 1973 DQG. MONROE3,715,836

METHOD OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Jan. 9. 1970 sShets-Sneet s 3,715,836 METHOD OF BUILDING CONS'IRUC'I 10N Donald G.Monroe, Prospect Heights, Ill., asslgnor to Active Garage Builders Inc.,Chicago, ll]. Original application Jan. 9, 1970, Ser. No. 1,721. Dividedand this application Aug. 19, 1971, Ser. No. 173,082 Int. Cl. 1304b 1/40US. Cl. 52-741 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE A wall-carrying baseplate is mounted on a poured, still plastic cementitious foundation byresting gauging means integral with one edge of the base plate on a formmember to determine the elevation of the base plate. A depending flangeon the base plate is engaged against an inner side of the form todetermine the longitudinal placement of the base plate. The base plateis then supported by the form until the foundation material has set.Flange means on the base plate are embedded in the foundation materialwhile still plastic to anchor the plate to the foundation. After thefoundation material has set studs may be anchored on the base plate andsiding connected to the gauging means as a starter and secured to thestuds. Door framing is adapted to be associated with the base plate, aswell as threshold structure.

This application is a division of my pending application Ser. No. 1,721,filed Jan. 9, 1970, and now Pat. No. 3,636,673.

This invention relates to a method of building construction, and is moreparticularly concerned with the mounting of base structures especiallyadaptable for wooden frame buildings.

A principal problem in wooden frame building construction is in the baseor starter structure on which the lower ends of the studs rest and towhich they are secured. This has generally heretofore consisted inlaying on and sometimes bolting to the foundation a timber such as atwo-by-four and nailing the lower ends of the studs thereto as bydiagonally driven nails. Such a base structure is ditficult to arrangesquare according to plan, is highly susceptible to deterioration due tomoisture, especially where relatively close to grade as in garages andsimilar utility buildings. Lack of squareness and practical difficultiesin attaining true elevation or flatness in poured concrete foundationsand slabs increase the difficulty in attaining any substantial degree ofaccuracy in the stud base structure. Variations from true elevationresult in gaps between the foundation surface and the stud base memberswith all the resulting disadvantages of lack of weather tightness,insect and small creature entries, sagging tendencies, and the like.Considerable skill has been demanded and often time-consuming andexpensive expedients have been employed to overcome these deficienciesas well as others, involved in the conventional wooden timber stud basestructures.

Another problem has been that of starting the siding at the base ends ofthe studs, and attempting to compensate for and close the gaps betweenthe base timber and the foundation. Where gypsum wallboard is employedas the rough siding an especial problem in respect to moisture-induceddeterioration along the lower edge is prevalent.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and otherdisadvantages, shortcomings, defects, inefficiencies and problems areovercome by the provision of a new and improved method of constructingbuilding structure,

United States Patent 3,715,836 Patented Feb. 13, 1973 having particularregard to an especially advantageous wall-supporting base plate andrelated structures.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved method of and means for providing a square, level stud base.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved methodof mounting a wall-supporting base plate on a freshly poured, stillplastic cementitious foundation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod of constructing buildings of the vehicle garage type.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the following description of certain preferred embodimentsthereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, althoughvariations and modifications may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of a concretefloor and foundation slab according to the invention and showing variousdetails of combination stud and wallboard base structure and thresholdstructures embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective inside corner view of the same structure asshown in FIG. 1 but with studs, rough siding wallboard and door framingin place;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional detail view takensubstantially along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2, showing a step in themethod of mounting the base plate;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail view taken at the base of the vehicleentrance door frame shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental isometric detail view looking generallyrearwardly, in a position adjacent to the threshold shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken substantiallyon the plane of line VI-VI of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially alongthe line VHVII of FIG. 6.

By way of example, the method according to this invention will bedescribed in connection with the construction of a utility buildingstructure such as a garage, although it will be readily apparent thatvarious features of the invention are applicable to other types ofbuildings, and more particularly wooden frame buildings wherein theframing comprises wooden studs and siding. In the illustrated example, afoundation 10 (FIG. 1) is desirably of poured concrete, monolithicthroughout the outline of the intended building and for which it willserve as the load bearing support, and monolithic with a floor slab 11within the foundation. By preference, the foundation 10 extends to asuitable height above ground level or grade 12 to provide a protectivecurb or dike against ingress of drainage and also to rise above thegeneral floor level of the floor slab 11 which is thus sunk below thetop of the foundation but is desirably above the level of the grade 12,though not as high as the foundation, but sufiiciently so that while thefloor surface of the slab 11 slopes from the rear downwardly toward thefront of the building outline to promote good drainage, its front edge13 will be close to grade but will be elevated to a limited extent toprevent blowing in of rain, snow or loose material when the garage door,not shown, is closed down thereagainst. Forwardly from the front edge 13of the floor slab a driveway or ramp 14 may be provided.

On the foundation 10 are mounted means for anchoring the superstructureof the building, and comprising longitudinally on and along each extentof the foundation a combination stud and wallboard base plate 15. In aneflicient, low cost, sturdy, highly advantageous form, the base platemay be constructed as an aluminum extrusion, although as will be evidentit could be made as a rolled section from any suitable material.Synthetic materials may be employed for the plate structure, butaluminum has, currently, advantages both as to availability, low cost,ease of manufacture by extrusion process, ready workability, lightweight, corrosion resistance, and the like.

If preferred, the appropriate length of sections of the plate 15 may beanchored to the selected lengths of the foundation after the foundationhas been poured and the concrete cured. A preferred and advantageousstructure of the plate has it equipped with means for anchoring it inthe foundation while the concrete is still plastic so that when theconcrete has set and cured the plate is permanently anchored thereto andprovides a thorough weather seal across the top of the foundation. Tothis end, the plate is provided with integral depending anchor flangemeans arranged to be embedded in the foundation and comprising at leastan inner edge longitudinal depending anchor flange 17 and an outer edgedepending longitudinal anchor flange 18 (FIG. 3). To facilitateextrusion of the section, the flanges 17 and 18 are desirably continuousand of uniform dimensions throughout. A thoroughly interlockedrelationship of the flanges 17 and 18 with the concrete of thefoundation is assured by the provision along the lower edges of theflanges of laterally turned or extending anchoring beads 19 serving asanchor lug terminals and desirably located on the inner sides of therespective flanges to leave the outer sides thereof plain. Additionalanchorage is desirably provided by means of a longitudinal spear headeddepending anchoring flange 20 intermediate the flanges 17 and 18 andwhich be narrower, as shown. Through this arrangement, the plate 15 isadapted to be applied to the plastic concrete of the foundationimmediately after the foundation has been poured within a concrete form,by pressing and working the flanges 17, 18 and 20 down into the concreteuntil the underside of the plate 15 is in firm contact with theconcrete. In effecting this, one of the depending edge flanges, hereinthe flange 18, is desirably located at the outer face and to become theupper portion of the outer face of the foundation. Thereby, the flange18 serves as a gauge for accurate longitudinal placement of the baseplate, by sliding the flange 18 downwardly along the inner side of aremovable concrete, or so-called cement, form 21 of any preferred typewhich serves to form the outer side of the foundation and also providesa screed to determine the height of the foundation. Further, finishingof the top of the foundation is avoided by applying the plate 15 theretoand using the screed 21 to gauge the height accurately. For thispurpose, the plate is desirably provided with a gauging flange 22extending downwardly and outwardly obliquely from an upward extension 23from the flange 18. By having the top of the screed 21 level, resting ofthe edge of the gauging flange 22 thereon, with the flange 18 squareagainst the vertical inner surface of the screed perfectly locates theplate 15 horizontally. Because of its flange reinforced construction,the plate 15 will retain its substantially warp-free, rigid squarealignment, resisting distortion and remaining true while being pressedand worked into position in the foundation concrete. After the concretehas set and the screed form 21 has been removed, the outer face of theflange 18 serves as the upper portion of the outer face of thefoundation 10, and the flange 22 is face to overhang the outer side ofthe foundation as part of a weather seal provided by it and the flangeextension as well as the flange 18.

At the inner side of the foundation 10, the flange 17 may be flush withthe inner side of the foundation similarly as the flange 18 is flushwith the outer side, but in a preferred form, the flange 17 iscompletely embedded in the concrete and the foundation is provided witha fillet 24 of preferably ogee form sloping downwardly from about thelevel of the plate 15 to the floor surface of the floor slab 11. Throughthis arrangement, the fillet 24 provides an inside curb for the floor todrain away from the foundation and by avoiding sharp corners makes thecurb area easy to clean. It also provides a protective buffer for thelower portion of the building structure. By having the ends of therespective base plate sections cut square, they will when joined inright angular abutment, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, assure that the baseoutline for the building will be square.

In constructing the building superstructure, studs 25 (FIGS. 2 and 3)such as two-by-four timbers, are erected by resting their lower ends onthe base plate 15. Means for properly orienting the lower ends of thestuds comprise a channel arrangement on the upper face of the platearranged to receive the studs with their major transverse dimensionextending across and normal to the length of the plate. For thispurpose, the plate is provided with an upwardly projecting flange 27 asan extension of and in a plane with the flange 17 and coextensivetherewith along the inner edge of the base plate. In order to enable theflange 27 to be secured to the base end portion of the stud 25 as bymeans of nails 28, the flange 27 extends to a height sufficient toprovide for a pair of vertically spaced nailing grooves 29 in an upperportion thereof sufliicently spaced from one another and above the plate15 to enable reception of the securing nails 28 without splitting thewood of the stud where the nails are relatively offset not only withrespect to one another but also with respect to the width of the stud,substantially as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Not only do the nailing grooves29 provide guide marks on the flange 27 to show Where the nails shouldbe driven, but they provide thin areas in the flange to facilitatedriving the nails therethrough and avoiding any need for prepunching theflange to receive the nails. To reinforce the flange 27 it is desirablyprovided with a thickened upper edge 36 which is desirably formed withan inwardly projecting claw tip 31 therealong adapted to bite into theconfronting surface of the stud 25 to enhance the stud anchorage.Placement of the stud base and assisting in retaining it in place to benailed is a back up channel flange 33 rising from the plate 15 incoextensive spaced parallel relation to the flange 27 and confrontingthe edge of the stud opposite to that which is in nailing confrontationto the flange 27. For this purpose the flange 33 need be only a fractionas high as the flange 27, such for example as on the order of aboutone-third as high, but high enough to back up the stud effectively whilethe anchoring nails 28 are being driven.

In order to facilitate placement of and to at least initially supportsiding wallboard 34, and more particularly such walboard to serve asrough siding, the flanges 23 and 33 of the plate 15 cooperate in spacedparallel coextensive relation to provide a channel outwardly alongsidethe stud-receiving chanel to receive the lower edge of the wallboard 34.Further, by thus receiving the wallboard, a thorough weather sealrelationship is provided across the base of the building superstructure.While the wallboard 34 may be of any desired construction, gypsumwallboard or other type of wallboard having a generally rigid,heat-insulating and preferably also fire-resistant core Within parallelcovers is especially well suited for the purpose. Any preferred meansfor securing the wallboard 34 to the studs 25 may be employed, such asnails 35.

Over the outer side of the wallboard 34 a protective siding is desirablyattached such as clapboard type panels 37 which may be metal backed byan insulating material and having along their lower edges respectivehook-like flanges 38 interengageable with complementary oblique anchorflanges 39 along the upper margins of subjacent panels and which uppermargins are secured to the wallboard 34 as by means of the nails 35. Thefirst course of the siding panels 37 is secured in place by engaging itslower edge hook flange 38 with the gauging flange 22 of the base plateserving in this instance as a starter strip flange with which the hookflange 38 interengages in a manner to complete the weather seal acrossthe base of the building superstructure.

As will be observed in FIGS. 1 and 5, at the corners of the building,the contiguous ends of the base plate members are so related that thewallboard channel of one of the members opens in alignment with the endof the members to enable full closing of the corner by engagement of therespective vertical end edge portions of the wallboards at the corners,and the outer surface siding panels 37 will be joined and corner stripsapplied as is customary with this type of siding.

A vehicle entrance is framed at the front edge 13 of the floor slab 11as by having shortened lengths of the foundation and base plate assemblyblunt ended at each side of the vehicle door opening for supporting andanchoring at each blunt end a vertical framing timber 40 (FIGS. 2 and4). For this purpose, the framing timber is desirably notched out as at41 in its lower end to seat on the adjacent end portion of the baseplate to receive the anchoring nails 28 driven through the anchoringflange 27. The lower end portion of the framing timber 40 alongside thenotch may then extend freely along the blunt end of the foundation andprovide a door-receiving length extending to the floor.

It is generally desirable to provide an access door in addition to thevehicle entrance door, and this may be provided for by a suitable gap atthe desired place in the base plate, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5,and in that gap mounting a threshold 42 on the foundation 10 with itsend in contiguity with the discontinuous ends of the base plate. In adesirable form, the threshold 42 may comprise an aluminum extrusionhaving a body which slopes from the inner side toward the outer side andhas thereunder in order to maintain the sloping relation and to have thethreshold of as thin a section as practicable, a set of parallel spacedstepped spacer ribs 43 which rest on the top of the foundation, or maybe embedded in the cement thereof, if preferred. Along the outer side,the threshold 42 is desirably provided with a cap or kick platedepending skirt 44 which bears against the outer face of the foundationor may be embedded substantially flush therewith. Desirably a weatherstrip 45 is inserted in a groove extending longitudinally in the upperface of the threshold 42 adjacent to its inner margin. Such strip may beof vinyl or other suitable resilient material for engagement with thelower edge of a door which will be hung on a door frame 48 which willframe the door opening. The lower ends of the door frame are desirablyengaged with the base plate -15 at the opposite ends of the threshold42, with the siding board panel flanges 23 and 33 desirably suitably cutout, as shown in FIG. 5 to re ceive the lower ends of the door frameuprights which are adapted to be anchored in place by nailing the sameto the anchor flange 27. At their outer edges, the door frame uprights48 may overhang and extend downwardly along the foundation 10 alongsidethe threshold weather seal and kick plate 44, as shown at 49 (FIG. 2).If desired, a sidewalk 50 (FIG. 1) may be provided in alignment with thedoorway opening.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionenables easy, rapid and accurate frame building construction, at leastin the initial stage wherein the combination stud and wallboard baseplate structure provides continuous straight lengths which are as freeas may practically be obtained from sagging, bending or other warpage,are adapted to be quite accurately mounted on a freshly poured cement orconcrete foundation both as to elevation and as to building perimeter oroutline, and after setting of the foundation not only provide for easyand accurate erecting of the studs and wallboard, as well as sidingthereon and thereto, but provide efficient weather seal across the jointbetween the foundation and the building. Doorway openings and framingtherefor are efficiently accommodated and maintained in erectedcondition as facilitated by the base plate structure. An eflicientthreshold structure is provided especially cooperative with respect tothe base plate structure. Exceptional benefits are derived by use of theinvention in the construction of utility buildings such as garages.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effectedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts ofthis invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of mounting a wall-supporting base plate on a cementitiousfoundation to attain accurate vertical and longitudinal placement of thebase plate on the foundation while the foundation is in a plastic state,comprismg:

placing the base plate on the plastic foundation; and

resting gauging means on one edge of the base plate on a form member todetermine the elevation of the base plate, and thus supporting the baseplate until the foundation material has set.

2. A method according to claim 1, including engaging a depending flangeon the base plate against an inner side of the form to determine thelongitudinal placement of the base plate.

3. A method according to claim 2, including employing said form as ascreed to determine the height of the foundation, and pressing saidflange into position between the form and the foundation material.

4. A method according to claim 2, including embedding additional flangemeans of the base plate into the material of the foundation while saidmaterial is still in a plastic state to anchor the base plate to thefoundation.

5. A method according to claim 2, including removing said form after thefoundation material has set, erecting studs on said base plate, andconnecting siding to said gauging means as a starter and seccuring thesiding to said studs.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said base plate has awallboard channel along said one edge and a stud channel between thewallboard channel and the opposite edge of the base plate, erecting thestuds in the stud channel and wallboard in the wallboard channel, andsecuring said siding to the wallboard and the wallboard to the studs.

7. A method of building construction including:

forming a raised elongated foundation;

anchoring to the top of and longitudinally along the foundation awall-receiving base plate having an end terminating at a doorway sectionof said foundation; and

mounting a threshold member on the foundation in alignment with and inendwise contiguity to said end of the base plate and placing a dependingkick plate of the threshold member along an outer side of thefoundation.

8. A method according to claim 7, including embedding an outer sidedepending flange of the base plate substantially flush with said outerside of the foundation while the foundation is still in plastic state,and embedding said kick plate panel in the still plastic outer side ofthe foundation substantially flush with said depending flange.

9. A method according to claim 7, comprising mounting a door framemember on and securing it to said base plate at said end of the baseplate, and extending a portion of the door frame member downwardly alongthe foundation contiguous to the adjacent end of said kick plate panel.

10. A method of building construction including:

forming a raised foundation having an end at a doorway opening;

mounting on said foundation a base plate and anchoring the base plate tothe foundation with an end of the base plate terminating at said end ofthe foundation; and

mounting a door frame member in upright position on and securing it tosaid base plate and orienting a portion of the frame member to extenddownwardly along said base member and foundation end.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said door frame member is awooden stud, comprising notching out said wooden stud on a lower endportion thereof to provide a downward shoulder to rest on said baseplate and to provide said portion which is oriented downwardly along theends of the base plate and the foundation,

12. A method of building construction comprising:

mounting on a raised foundation having a right angle adjoining said*base plates at said corner with the end of the wallboard channel ofsaid second base plate clear of the stud attachment flange of the firstbase plate, and mounting wallboard panels in the wallboard channels ofthe base plates with vertical edges of the panels adjoining at saidcorner.

13. A method according to claim 12, comprising notching out the studattachment flange of said first base memher to provide the clearance forsaid end of the wallboard channel of said second base plate.

14. A method according to claim 12, comprising mounting respective studsin contiguity on the contiguous end portions of said base plates, andattaching said wallboard panels thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1938 Barnett 52295 X 7/1960Babcock 52-74 1 5/1967 LlltCh 52295 X 8/1967 Russell 5Z294 X OTHERREFERENCES Article Post Anchors, from Popular Mechanics magazine, August1964, p. 141. 0

PRICE C. FAW, JR., Primary Examiner U .8. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3.715.836Dated February 13 1973 Inventor(s) D. G. MONROE It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 35, for "which be" read --which may be".

Column 4, line 52, for "walboard" read wa1Ib0ard-'-;

line' '55, for -'chane1" read channel.-

Signed and sealed this 5th day of March 19711..

(SEAL) Abtest:

EDWARD -M.FLETCHER,JR. I c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents"

